Portable computing has transformed the way we work and play. The notebook computer has become a common business staple, seemingly ever-present in places like airports and coffee shops. One of the enticing features of notebook computers is their fully inclusive nature, such as an embedded keyboard, display, and pointing devices such as capacitive input sensor (e.g., a TouchPad™ input pad). Accordingly, the notebook computer conveniently offers an all-in-one computer experience for the user on the go.
Despite this integration of features, regular computer users often continue to use their favorite peripheral devices alongside a notebook computer, either out of habit or because of real and perceived performance advantages. In one example, computer users continue to use an optical mouse external to the notebook computer as a pointing device despite the presence of a capacitive input sensor integrated into the notebook computer. Many users experience more precise navigation with the external optical mouse, as well as avoidance of the awkward combination of input buttons and a separate capacitive input sensor, as typically found on most notebook computers.
However, an external optical mouse is subject to loss, theft, or damage during transport. Accordingly, an external optical mouse presents a tradeoff between optimal performance and ergonomics versus the annoyance of transporting an optical mouse external of the portable computer.